Pat Summitt Week!

MEDIC Regional blood Center is rallying its donor base to help The Pat Summitt Foundation in its funding of organizations engaged in patient care, caregiver support, and Alzheimer’s disease clinical research. Not only was former Lady Vols Coach Pat Summitt a blood donor, she was an advocate for MEDIC and the community blood supply. On countless occasions she worked to promote MEDIC’s mission and motivated her fans to roll up their sleeves. As a way to say thank you and to recognize Coach Summitt for her accomplishments, MEDIC is asking its blood donors to “Give for Pat”. From Monday, January 30th through Friday, February 3rd, anyone who donates lifesaving blood at any MEDIC blood drive will be supporting Coach Summitt’s legacy. Thanks in part to Alumni Hall, a $10 donation will be made to The Pat Summitt Foundation for every donor who donates blood. All donors will receive a Free T-Shirt, a Free Appetizer from Texas Roadhouse, a Free Cinnamon Biscuit from Bojangles, and a coupon for the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame! Donors can give at any of the following locations: Monday, January 30th: Alumni Hall Turkey Creek, 11am – 6pm Walmart Clinton, 11am – 6pm Walmart Maryville, 11am – 6pm Walmart Greeneville, 11am – 6pm Food City Fountain City, 9am – 12:30pm Methodist Medical Center (990 Oak Ridge Turnpike), 12pm – 6pm Manorhouse Assisted

MEDIC is teaming up with Food City, Star 102.1, and WATE 6 On Your Side to encourage those in East Tennessee to roll up their sleeves and give lifesaving blood during the week of January 16-20. People are asked to donate, regardless of blood type. Food City is hosting MEDIC at 25 of their East Tennessee area stores. To help encourage people to donate blood, one person at each Food City hosted blood drive will win a $50 Food City gift card. At the end of the week, every blood donor will be entered into another drawing for a $500 Food City gift card. In addition to the locations at Food City stores, WATE 6 On Your Side is also hosting a MEDIC blood drive. One donor who gives blood there will also win a $50 Food City gift card. Blood drive locations: Monday, January 16 Food City South Knoxville, 7608 Mountain Grove, 5:30am – 1:00pm Food City Alcoa, 131 N. Hall Rd, 11am – 6pm Food City Blaine, 180 Rutledge Pike, 11am – 6pm Food City Harriman, 1130 South Roane St., 11am – 6pm Food City Crossville, 1180 West Avenue, 11am-6pm (CST) Tuesday, January 17 Food City Clinton, 507 S Charles G Seivers Blvd, 11am – 6pm Food City Oliver Springs, 508 E Tri-County Blvd, 11am – 6pm Food City Vonore, 2120 Hwy 411, 11am – 6pm Food City Jefferson City, 1507 Odell Dr., 11am – 6pm Wednesday, January 18 Food City Maynardville, 4344 Maynardville Hwy, 11am – 6pm Food City Morristown, 110

Help save a life this month! Since 1969, January has been declared National Blood Donor Month due to the extra need for blood and platelets this time of year. The inclement weather during the winter months often results in cancelled blood drives and seasonal illnesses may prevent people from donating. MEDIC Regional Blood Center needs 275 blood donations daily for cancer care, surgeries, and the treatment of serious diseases and trauma. MEDIC supplies life-saving blood products to 29 hospitals in 23 counties across East Tennessee and Southeast Kentucky. Each donor will receive a Free UT Vols Ceramic Travel Mug and a Coupon for a Free Appetizer from Texas Roadhouse! For a list of locations visit: www.medicmembers.org

With the recent injuries in Gatlinburg due to sudden wildfires, MEDIC Regional Blood Center is reminding donors of the importance of donating blood to be prepared for situations like this. MEDIC’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Thomas Watkins says: “Patients who are hospitalized with severe burns can be very complicated to manage and can have multiple physiologic systems damaged, as a result of their injuries. Often, these patients are transferred to hospitals with special burn-units and expertise in treating these injuries. Transfusion of Red blood cells, platelets and plasma are often involved in the care of these patients. One European study from 2016, focused on burn related anemia. The group reviewed the care of 558 adult burn victims. They found that 34% of the burn patients received some type of blood product during their treatment. Approximately one third of the group, who received a transfusion, received all three types of blood components. The patients in the study who were transfused, were significantly older, and were more likely to have experienced a flame/fire-related injury, with burns to multiple areas. Also, as expected, the number of blood products required in their treatment was highly varied and depended on multiple factors, including extent of thermal injury.” To sum it up, burn victims often need blood and need more blood than the average transfusion. Be

After the Tennessee Volunteers’ likely win on November 12th against the Kentucky Wildcats at Neyland Stadium, the competition turns to the fans. For the 29th year, fans of the Vols and Cats will be competing to see who can donate the most blood for their local blood center during the week of November 14th through November 18th. For the past several years, the Vols fans have been trounced losing most recently by 600 units. This year, however, MEDIC Regional Blood Center is hoping that Vols fans can turn it around. Donors may leave the blood drive down a pint, but they’ll be leaving with a lot more. Not only will donors know they’re helping a sick patient at a local hospital, they’ll also receive our annual Orange/Blue t-shirt, a coupon for a free pizza from Papa John’s, a free Chick-fil-A Sandwich, a free Wendy’s Frosty, a free appetizer from Texas Roadhouse, and free admission to Fantasy of Trees. This list of locations includes: Monday, November 14th MEDIC Knoxville, 1601 Ailor Avenue, 8am-6:30pm MEDIC Farragut, 11000 Kingston Pike, 7:30am-7pm MEDIC Crossville, 79 S Main Street, 12pm-6pm (CST) Blount Memorial Hospital, 907 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Maryville 10am – 6pm Laughlin Memorial Hospital, 1420 Tusculum Blvd, 10am – 6pm Methodist Medical Center, 990 Oak Ridge Turnpike, 11am – 6pm Takoma Regional Hospital, 401 Takoma Avenue, 10am – 6pm UT Health, Physic

The Food and Drug Administration is adding more travel restrictions to blood donors thanks to the spread of the Zika virus. Beginning Monday, August 1st, people who have traveled to Broward and/or Miami-Dade County, Florida in the past 28 days will be unable to donate blood. The new restrictions are mandated by the FDA on all U.S. blood centers. In May, the FDA prohibited those who had visited more than two dozen countries from donating blood for at least four weeks from their return. These countries were chiefly located throughout the Caribbean and Northern, Central, and South America. The new locations in Florida – the first in the U.S. – were added after laboratory tests confirmed local transmission of the virus through infected mosquitos. Several states, including Tennessee have had Zika diagnoses in recent weeks, but those were related to travel or sexual transmission. The infections in Florida are the first time Zika is known to have been spread through a mosquito bite within the U.S. Donors who have concerns about whether they are eligible to donate can call 865-524-3074 For more about Zika risk, travel areas of concern, or other resources go to http://www.cdc.gov/zika/index.html

New travel restrictions are going into effect for blood donors who have recently traveled to areas where the Zika virus is spreading. Anyone who has traveled to Mexico, the Caribbean, and/or Central or South America in the last 28 days, is being asked not to donate blood. Donors are asked to return to donate if they are feeling healthy and have not been in one of the affected areas for at least 28 days. Zika virus infection is mild in most people, but there is concern that Zika is causing serious brain injury to infants whose mothers have been infected during pregnancy. Zika can be present in the blood of an infected person who has no symptoms of illness. Donors who have questions about their eligibility can call 865-524-3074. Visit the CDC website, for more information on the Zika Virus.

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